An upset is on the cards says former club skipper

Monday 14th November 2005

PAUL Arnold, the last man to skipper Weymouth into round two of the FA Cup, has told the current Terras crop: "You can cause a massive cup upset.'

Weymouth face one of the biggest games in their 115 year history when they take on fallen giants Nottingham Forest in an FA Cup first-round replay at the Wessex Stadium tonight.

Garry Hill's team are bidding to become the first Terras side to reach the second round of the competition since 1982.

Skipper of that team was Arnold, now managing Wessex League Wimborne Town, and he believes his former club are capable of producing a huge shock.

He said: "It's obviously going to be very tough for Weymouth, but they definitely have a chance.

"Forest won't be used to having the crowd so close to the pitch and that will be a big positive for Weymouth.

"There is always great vocal support down there and that will give the team an extra yard.

'The players will have to play out of their skins, and they will have to work hard when Forest have the ball.

"But I hope there is an upset. It would be great for Garry Hill, and for the supporters who have stuck by the club through thick and thin."

Arnold is considered something of a legend at Weymouth, having captained the side through the glory days of the 1980s.

The team, then managed by Stuart Morgan, finished runners-up in the inaugural season of what is now the Nationwide Conference in 1980.

The side included Paul Morrell, who went on to play 343 league games for Bournemouth, and Trevor Finnegan, who also played for Everton.

"It was a great era for the club' said Arnold, who ,also played with former top-flight players Andy Townsend, Tony Agana and Graham Roberts in his time at the Wessex.

"There were big crowds and Stuart did a tremendous job as manager. He brought in a lot of ex-pros who had played league football and they were big-game players. That was one of our biggest assets.

"I can see some similarities with the Weymouth side now. Garry has got people in from league clubs who are excellent players. They will rise to the occasion and know what is expected from them."

The cup run of 1982-83 saw Terras involved in some titanic tussles.

They fought back from 3-1 down to edge past Maidstone United 4-3 in round one, then stormed back from 2-0 down to dump Cardiff City out in the second round.

"It was incredible, really," said Arnold. "It was a second hlf revival against Maidstone and the same at Cardiff.

"At Cardiff, we were 2-0 down at half-time and Stuart just asked us to score a goal for his father, who was ill. But once we got one back, they just folded and we scored the winner with about 15 minutes to go."

Weymouth were eventually put out by Cambridge United, the team Garry Hill's side beat to set up the Forest tie, in round three.

The last time Forest were beaten by a non-league side in the FA Cup was 1915, when Norwich, then of the Southern League, beat them 4-1.

But they were held to 2-2 draw at Isthmian League Tooting and Mitcham in the third round, before winning the replay and going on to win the trophy in 1959.